Water ski



E. KAKES WATER SKI March 27, 1962 Filed Sept. 13, 1960 F/f 3 l/a /7 INVENTOR Eli 4&7 144/656 tame- 3,026,546 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 tice 3,026,546 WATER SKI Edward Kalres, Oneida County, Wis. (RED. 1, Minocqua, Wis.) Filed Sept. 13, 1960, Ser. No. 55,777 3 Claims. (Cl. 9-310) This invention relates to a water ski, toboggan, or similar article, and has as its primary object the provision of an improved device of this character which is comprised of two or more parts which may be readily disassembled for ease in storage or transportation.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a water ski which is characterized by two readily assembled and disassembled sections in overlapping relation, one of which sections is provided with a pair of keels.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a device wherein the keels taper rearwardly to provide a convergent area with an exit through a reduced orifice or opening tunneling the water and air to the rear of the device providing in effect -a jet, thereby adding buoyance, lift and stability to the device.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a device wherein the keels are of divergent thickness and extend in tapered relation toward the rear of the ski with their thickest portions adjacent the rear end thereof.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of such keels in combination with a water ski or the like wherein the keels increase in thickness or depth toward the rear of the device from their point of juncture with the ski at the forward portion thereof.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of one form of water ski embodying elements of the instant invention in disassembled condition.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the ski of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged rear end elevational view of the device; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the device of the instant invention, which is, illustratively, shown as a water ski, is generally indicated at 10, and comprises a forward portion 11 having a conventional tapered upwardly turned arcuate tip 12. A rear body portion 13 overlaps the front portion and is secured thereto by a plurality of bolts 14, which extend through aligned bores 15 and 16 in the front and rear sections 11 and 13, respectively. Countersunk openings 17 are provided in the outer or under surface of front section 11 to accommodate the heads 18 of the bolts, thus insuring a smooth under surface for the water ski. Suitable nuts 19 which may be plastic with corrugated sides are employed to secure the bolts holding the sections 11 and 13 in related assembly.

Rear section 13' is provided on its under surface with a pair of keels 20, which taper from the front portion of section 13; adjacent the ledge or lip 21 formed by the rear end of section 11 inwardly toward a restricted opening 22 at the rear end of section 13. The inner sides of keels are beveled as at 22 (see FIG. 2), and taper sharply towards their forward ends 24-, so that the effective thickness of the keels is greater adjacent the opening 22 than adjacent the shoulder 21. As best shown in FIG. 3, the lkeels also taper in a vertical direction so that their deepest or thickest portionis adjacent the rear of the ski, as best shown in FIG. 3.

By virtue of this arrangement, and the funneling effect caused by the convergent tapered keels an improved water ski having characteristics of lift, buoyancy and ease of towing is thus provided. There is also provided a ski which is readily disassemblable into two sections for economy of space in transportation and storage.

While in the foregoing the device has been described particularly as a water ski, it will be understood that this inventive concept is equally applicable to a water toboggan or similar article.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved water ski which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A water ski comprising a forward section having an elongated fiat body with one end thereof being upturned and tapered, a rear section having one end thereof removably secured to the other end of said forward section in overlapping relation, the joint between said forward and rear sections providing a ledge on the underside of said ski, a pair of elongated tapered keels fixed to the underside of said rear section, each having one end adjacent to a marginal edge of said rear section adjacent said ledge, said tapered keels converging rearwardly and terminating at flie free end of said rear section.

2. A water ski comprising a forward section having an elongated flat body with one end thereof being upturned and tapered, pairs of horizontally aligned bolts extending perpendicularly through said forward section at the opposite end thereof adjacent the marginal edges, a rear section comprising an elongated flat body having portions defining horizontally aligned openings therethrough adjacent the marginal edges thereof, said bolts in said forward section adapted to extend through the openings in said rear section and fasteners on said bolts to removably secure said forward and rear sections together in overlapped coextensive relation, a pair of elongated converging tapered keels secured to the underside of said rear section, said keels converging from a point adjacent the joint of said forward and rear sections to the end of said rear section,

3. A water ski as defined in claim 2 wherein said elongated tapered keels comprise strips, each having the large dimension adjacent the free end of said rear section and tapered to the small dimension adjacent the joint between said forward and rear sections, and each of said tapered keels having one beveled side disposed in opposed relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,712,281 Royer May 7, 1929 2,382,150 Hartman Aug. 14, 1945 2,716,246 Billingham Aug. 30, 1955 2,894,760 Kolstad July 14, 1959 2,900,945 Conazzi Aug. 25, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,015,043 France June 25, 1952 

